New York SBDC Research Network

Smart Small Business Travel To increase orders from your current customers and find new clients, plan a business trip. Travel, an important tool in your small-business tool kit, is an investment in growing and sustaining your business. And as with any investment, you want to get the highest return—in this case, your return on travel. Businesses get an average return of $9.50 for every travel dollar they spend, according to a study the U.S. Travel Association sponsored, which Oxford Economics conducted. And it’s clear why business travel makes sense. In-person interactions close sales and deepen relationships. High Return on Travel Plan One obstacle that keeps business owners from traveling is the belief that they must be on-premise to run their businesses. Can you entrust team members with more of the daily operations so you can focus more on business development? Can you adopt cloud solutions and apps that allow you to be a more effective mobile manager? Must Have Apps

By Rhonda Abrams I have a terrible time buying toothpaste. You've probably had a similar experience: I stand in the toothpaste aisle at a place like Target — and yes, there's a whole aisle just for toothpaste — and I'm overwhelmed. Sure, I use Crest, but which Crest?... Crest has 41 varieties... Why do companies make buying so complicated? For a small business, this question is critically important. Every product or service we develop or sell takes investment. We need to make sure we can sell what we make or offer. Surprisingly, giving customers too many choices is likely to lead to fewer sales. More here .

Intuit has now made their "Simple Start" version of QuickBooks (formerly $99) free, recommended for very small or one-person businesses. Entrepreneurs can also enter Intuit’s contest to win $50,000 ($40,000 cash and $10,000 in products and services). Get contest details and download a free copy of Simple Start here . These activities are tied into Intuit's "Just Start" campaign, including a series of exciting live events featuring Rhonda Abrams, small business advice columnist and expert, as the "expert-in-residence." She'll be available one-on-one to answer questions about business. People who meet Rhonda will receive one of her books (free and personally autographed), get free Simple Start software, and enter Intuit’s "Just Start" contest for a chance to win $50,000 for their business. New York – Thurs & Friday, November 8-9, 11 am – 2 pm Grand Central Terminal, Vanderbilt Hall Boston – Tues & Weds, November 13-14,